Proposed Coal Plant Clears Another Hurdle

SURRY — Early next year, the Dendron Town Council and Surry County Board of Supervisors will move forward on a proposal to build what would be the state's largest coal-fueled power plant in the tiny town of 300 people.

With an 8-2 vote, the Surry County Planning Commission on Monday agreed to recommend that county and town leaders approve nine rezoning and permitting applications submitted by Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. The company wants to build Cypress Creek Power Station - a $6 billion, 1,500-megawatt energy plant - on about 1,500 acres in and around the rural Surry County town of Dendron by 2017.

Planning commissioners John Stokes and Misti Furr, who also serves on the Dendron Town Council, voted against Old Dominion's applications.

"No increase in tax revenue can justify the negative impacts of this facility," said Stokes, adding that he believes the project is inconsistent with the county's focus on preserving its rural character and that most county residents at last month's packed public hearing opposed the project.

While Old Dominion has successfully addressed most of the staff's concerns, Planning Director Rhonda Mack said she is still concerned about the noise that would be generated by the surge of rail traffic heading to the plant. The county had asked Old Dominion to restrict rail traffic from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., a move that Norfolk Southern has refused to commit to, said Stephen Ramine, an attorney representing the power plant.

Furr said she is hopeful that the Board of Supervisors and Town Council - which legally could take up to a year to study the company's proposal - will ask Old Dominion to foot the bill for an independent environmental impact study.

Jeb Hockman, spokesman for Old Dominion, said the county hasn't made any request for a study. He also questioned the necessity, as the proposed facility will have to meet stringent environmental standards to receive more than 50 additional permits from various state and federal agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

But the company can't apply for any of those permits until the local government approves the project, Hockman said.

"This is the first step in a long process," he said.

Last week, the Dendron Town Council voted unanimously to create the town's first Capital Improvements Plan, a document that will outline and prioritize the town's capital projects for the next decade. The plan is required before the town can accept any proffers offered by developers or companies moving into town, Furr said.

Old Dominion has discussed repairing and completing construction of the town's water system and building a network of sidewalks through the town, although no formal offers have been made.

NEWS TO USE

The Dendron Town Council and Surry County Board of Supervisors are expected to discuss Old Dominion Electric Cooperative's applications at their next meetings, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4 and 7 p.m. Jan. 7.